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Apathy, absence blamed for few U votes
Students living on campus lived up to their stereotype as being unconcerned for the political primary.
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Trustees on retreat to evaluate McPherson
MSU President M. Peter McPherson and the MSU Board of Trustees left for Thursday for a three-day retreat at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville.
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Smokers to have separate break-rooms
Certain county businesses will have to set up separate break-rooms for smokers or tell them to take their butts outside. Starting next week, lighting up will no longer be permitted in break rooms used by smokers and nonsmokers alike. “We actually enforce businesses’ smoke free policies,” Amy Moore, coordinator for tobacco prevention programs at Ingham County Health Department. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease to people who are exposed in the workplace. “The statewide group did a survey and about 85 percent of workers already work in smoke-free places,” Moore said.
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City council gets ready to slash
East Lansing city officials slammed Gov. John Engler’s revenue sharing and fire-appropriation vetoes that cut 16 percent of the city’s general-fund budget and fire protection funding - totaling $4.6 million. “We have a ‘rainy-day’ fund, but this action by the governor is a monsoon,” City Manager Ted Staton said at a Monday afternoon meeting of the state’s emergency fund that can make up for 10-15 percent of the difference, but only for one year.
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Vote leaves pipeline plan unclear
A pipeline company will soon be headed to court or back to the drawing board now that the Lansing City Council has denied the company’s plans to build within city limits. The council voted 7-1 Monday against Wolverine Pipe Line’s request for consent to build about 5 miles of its proposed 26-mile gasoline pipeline in Lansing, and now company executives are weighing their options. The decision leaves Wolverine to either find another route, take the city to court or ignore the council’s decision. Wolverine spokesman Tom Shields has said the company might not need the consent of municipalities because the current plan calls for the pipeline to be laid within the Interstate 96 right-of-way, which is owned by the state. Wolverine officials say company executives want to work within state laws. “I don’t think I necessarily feel as strongly about it as Tom does,” said Paul O’Konski, head of Wolverine’s law department.
MICHIGAN
Popularity, availability of sushi growing in E.L.
The dish is centuries old in Asia, but now sushi is surfacing in East Lansing.“It’s not as popular in Michigan - not yet, but every year the sushi population is increasing,” said Don Kim, manager of Midori Sushi and Korean BBQ, 436 Elmwood Road in Delta Township.
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Towns to vote on millage for emergency-fund
Voters will decide on the necessity of an emergency services millage during the Aug. 6 primary. For every $1,000 of taxable property, residents must have an additional $1.25 in property taxes.
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Coffeehouse set for reopening
A red garage door marks the entrance to downtown East Lansing’s newest business, but instead of cars and motorcycles rolling in and out, it will be cappuccinos and espressos.
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Judgeship candidates look to speed up deciding cases in 4th District Court
With as much of a two-year waiting period for decisions, candidates for 4th District Court of Appeals judgeships said they are hoping to increase court efficiency.Three candidates - a judge, a senator and a lawyer are vying for the position in the Aug.
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CATA pushes for millage
Capital Area Transportation Authority officials want area residents to approve a proposed five-year millage increase on Tuesday’s primary election ballot. But with a weak economy, some might not want to increase CATA’s property tax of 1.4 mills by about 58 percent. The .82-mill increase would cost an owner of a $60,000 home $24.60 more a year in property taxes.
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Students make mural of McDonald House
Art students at Lansing Community College have been making a glass mural for the Ronald McDonald House of Mid-Michigan, 121 S.
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Cigarette-tax increases to begin today
With the cigarette tax scheduled to increase by 50 cents today, some smokers are feeling the burn.Wesley Thomas contends the change, along with measures across the country to eliminate smoking in public, is discrimination against smokers.“It’s stupid that they’re raising taxes and saying that we can’t smoke where we want to,” the 19-year-old Lansing resident said.
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Six candidates enter primary for vacant Lansing council spot
Six candidates will face off in the Lansing City Council primary Tuesday, but only two will move on to the November election.The winner in November will fill the remaining three years of former Councilmember Lou Adado’s four-year term.
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Court hopefuls set for judgment day
All seven candidates for two Ingham County Circuit Court judgeships said they hope to run a fair and efficient courtroom if elected.The Aug.
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EL official named to volunteer group board
East Lansing Mayor Pro Tem Sam Singh was named to the National Council of Nonprofit Associations Board of Directors. The board consists of 17 delegates from nonprofit groups across the nation and the council is a group of 37 state and regional nonprofit associations. Singh currently serves as president and CEO of the 600-member Michigan Nonprofit Association.
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Community, families to benefit from food drive
The annual East Lansing Reducing Our Waste program will hold a food drive. The drive started Tuesday and will continue through Aug.
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Engler denies funding to change license shape
Gov. John Engler recently vetoed $1 million of funding for the bill to change driver’s license forms for those under 21-years-of-age.
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Fair brings family fun despite weather
The 148th annual Ingham County Fair opened Friday with carnival rides, petting zoos, rodeos and promises of a familyoriented event. The slogan for the this year’s fair is “Bring ‘Em To Ingham, The Family Fun Fair.” Terry Brail, the fair’s executive director, boasts a clean fairgrounds with a goal to please people of all ages - without a beer tent. “We’ve never had a beer tent, and we never will,” Brail said. Alcohol is considered by the fair’s organizers as a substance that isn’t family-oriented and shouldn’t be allowed on the grounds. But families might not be piling into their cars in droves for the fair just yet. Brail said poor weather conditions since the fair opened put a damper on it, forcing people to shy away from eating cotton candy and visiting the critters and creatures farmers bring. “The weather scared a few people off, but I’m very confident that the weather will break toward the end of the week and the people who were scared off today will be back,” Brail said. The 74-acre site brings in more than 100,000 people annually and Brail said he has no doubt the number will be reached again this year, despite the weather.
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Lifeguards back on beach at Lake Lansing
Lifeguards have been back to work at Lake Lansing Park South since Saturday, although beach hours have been reduced. Hours have also been cut down at Hawk Island County Park in Lansing and Burchfield Park in Holt.
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Pipeline vote on agenda
Lansing - Lansing City Council will vote next week on a pipeline company’s request to build a gasoline line within city limits. The council members voted 5-2 Thursday to add two items to the Aug.